Apparatus for hendling webs of cloth



Feb. 6, 1934. G. B. QUINBY 1,945,981-

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING WEBS OF CLOTH Filed Feb. 4, 1930 Patented Feb. 6,1934 PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR HKNDLING WEBS OF CLOTH George B.-Quinby, Medford, Mass., assignor to Blake Electric Mfg. Company,Boston, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 4,1930. Serial No. 425,767

2 Claims.

The present invention relatesto improvements in apparatus for handlingwebs of cloth, paper or similar material.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide mechanism actingautomatically to insure the delivery in a predetermined manner of a webof cloth, paper, or similar or equivalent material to a slittingmachine, tentering frame or similar apparatus. According to the usualpractice, this web of cloth or paper is preliminarily wound upon a rollor core for facilitating transportation and delivery to the operatingmechanism, and without some form of automatic control, there is nomethod of insuring the delivery of the web in a predetermined manner tothe slitting machine or its equivalent. I propose to control thedelivery of the web in a predetermined path by providing a feeler incontinuous engagement with the edge of the web in proxgo imity to thereceiving mechanism, and operating connections controlled by theposition of the feeler for bodily shifting the roll from which the webis delivered in a direction transverse to the feed for the purpose ofrectifying variations in the path of movement which may occur in eitherdirection. In the simplest and most eflicient form of the inventionwhich has yet been devised, the roll is mounted upon a transverselymovable carriage directly connected with a reversible motor, theoperation of which is controlled from the position of the feeler, themotor rotating in either of two directions depending upon the movementof the feeler in opposite directions beyond the neutral point. Ifurthermore propose to maintain that portion of the web in proximity tothe feeler in a reasonably taut condition to insure accurate gaging ofthe web position by the contacting feeler.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the 40 preferred form of theinvention,

Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of my improved apparatus; 7

Fig. 2 is an elevation partially in section of the feeler and connectedswitch box;

Figs. 3 and 4 are details illustrating the connection between the leadscrew and nut for imparting motion of the lead screw to the laterallymovable carriage;

Fig. 5 is a detail illustrating the braking device for preventingoverrunning of the lead screw; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the reversible motor connections.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention a web, indicated at 10 iswound upon a delivery roll 12 supported upon a shaft 14 which is looselyand releasably mounted at opposite ends in open bearings 16and 17provided with upwardly extending portions 18 designed to resist thethrust of the shaft, due to withdrawal of the web therefrom. In theusual practice, the shaft 14 is provided with some form of brakingmechanism (not shown) for placing a drag upon the web as it is withdrawnfor the subsequent operations. Each of the bearings is mounted at theupper end of a standard 20, and at one end the bearing is adjustablewith relation to the standard by virtue of a hand-operated screw 22'journaled in a bracket 24 mounted on the standard. By virtue of thisadjustment the position 7 of the bearing supports may be altered toplace the roll shaft exactly normal to the path of delivery of the webor slightly inclined thereto in order to compensate for non-uniformityof opposite edges as may be desired. The standards 20 are rigidlysupported at opposite ends of a carriage 26 with suflicient separationto permit receiving the widest web which may be encountered in practice.The carriage is supported upon wheels 28 which are provided with 30grooved peripheries 29, mounted upon guide rails 30, arranged to permitmovement of the car-" riage laterally or transversely to the length ofthe web and to preclude shifting of the carriage in a directionlengthwise of the web.-

The carriage, as indicated particularly in the drawing, comprisesessentially separated channel members 32 connected at opposite ends bycross braces 34. Supported upon a stationary base 36 is a reversiblemotor 38, which is connected with an operating lead screw 40 throughreducing gears 42 and 44. The lead screw is mounted at the adjacentmotor end in bearing block 46 and at its opposite end in a secondbearing block 49, as indicated more particularly in Fig. 1. Supportedupon the lead screw and traveling thereon is an operating nut 50providing with trunnions 52 which engage the downwardly directed openended slots 54 formed on opposite sides of a connecting bracket 56mounted upon a cross member 58. By virtue of this construction a quicklydisconnectible connection is provided and a slight swivelling movementof the lead screw with respect to the carriage may be obtained withoutbinding or cramping of the operating mechanism. 106 This permits theproper assembly of the apparatus even though slight irregularities maybe present in the floor, the supporting base 36 for the motor and theguide rails 30 for supporting the carriage being mounted independentlyof one 110 sponding rotation at a lower speed to .the lead screw which,in turn, traverses the traveling nut 50 longitudinally thereon,imparting a. corre-' sponding movement to the'carriage and supportedroll.

The movements of the motor are controlled by a depending feeler finger60 which is in constant contact with the edge of the web in proximity tothe slitting or equivalent machine. This feeler finger is pivoted at 62and carries a pair of movable electrical contacts 64 which are adaptedto engage with either one oftwo pairs of stationary contacts 66 or 68,depending on the movement of the feeler in opposite directions. Thefeeler is so designed that it is maintained in continuous engagementwith the edge of the web, and follows the movements thereof irrespectiveof direction. With this constructioma movement of thecontact 64 intoengagement with either of the stationary contactsactuates the motor 38'in a direction depending upon which contact is closed to impart ashifting movement to the web. The feeler mechanism is provided with asupporting arm '70 which is adiustably connected with a post '12' whichmay form a part of the slitting or equivalent machine. As noted, the arm70 1s provided'with a slot 73, and is clamped to the post througha wingnut '74. Upon loosening the wing nut the arm may be bodily adjusted'withrespect to a supporting head '15 by anadjusting screw 76, all as shownmore particularly in Fig. 2. The web is supported at opposite sides ofthe feeler by guide rolls 78 extendingtherebeneath, and is also andpreferably engaged by a guide bar 80 after delivery from the roll .12.This construction insures a taut condition of the web edge in proximityto the feeler; Furthermore, the capacity for adjustment of the feelermechanism as a becomes inoperative, I provide stationary conanother onthe usual mill floor. The lead screw whole permitsthe control to bereadily regulated for webs of -.va'rying width.

In order to prevent damage to the'operating mechanism in the event thatthe feeler control 80 tacts 86 and 86, preferably connected to the base36 or to the floor, and adapted to be engaged at opposite limits oftravel of the carriage by a contact 88 mounted upon the carriage anddepending therefrom. This construction is designed to open the motorcircuit and stop rotation of the motor at opposite designated limits oftravel of the carriage before the lead screw and its connected parts canbecome damaged through possible overrunning of the motor, due to failureof the control mechanism to operate.

In some instances it may be desired to embody my new mechanism inconnection with web-holding receiving rolls adapted to have a web ofcloth, paper, or similar material wound thereon, and in such cases it isto be clearly understood that the invention is not confined in thisapplication to its combination with a roll from which a web is unwound.

Whatis claimed is:

1. Web-handling apparatus comprising a carriage-oppositely-disposedstandards upon the carriage, guideways upon which the carriage ismounted for movement in opposite directions, bearings formed on thestandards, a web roll, a shaft extending through the roll. and havingits ends releasably journaled upon the bearings, a stationary -motor,and connections between the motor and the carriage including a membermoving with the carriage and having an open ended slot and a projectioncooperating with the slot for actuating the carriage in oppositedirections on the guideways. v

2. Web-handling apparatus comprising a webhandling roll, a carriagesupporting the roll, I means for guiding the carriage in the directionof the axis of the roll, a stationary motor, a lead screw operated bythemotor, a nut threaded on the lead screw, a trunnion formed on the nutand a cooperating slotted member fixed to the m carriage for preventingbinding of the nut on the lead screw throughout the path of movement ofthe carriage.

GEORGE B. UINBY.

